Layout means for welded offsets



April 9, 1958 J. T B'LACKSHAW 2,832,152

LAYOUT MEANS FOR WELDED OFFSETS Filed June 27, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 JOSEPH 7; 50462344440 INVENTOR.

BY fiwmfl/jvm UTTQQ/VEYS April 29, 1958 Filed June 27, 1956 2 J. T.. BLACKSHAW 2,832,152

LAYOUT MEANS FOR WELDED OFFSETS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 JasEp/ 7: amczsuwu INVENTOR.

LAYfl U'l MEANS FOR WELDED OFFSETS Joseph T. Blackshaw, Temple City, Calif., assignor to Southern Caliiornia Gas Company, Los Angeles, Calih, a corporation of Qalitornia Application June 27, 1956, Serial No. 594,301

t Claims. (Cl. 33-180) This invention relates to layout means for welded offsets, and included in the objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a simple and relatively compact means which may be readily mounted on angularly related pipe sections to be connected for determining the location and angles at which to cut the pipe sections as well as the connecting pipe.

Second, to provide a means of this class wherein a pair of saddle members, adapted for mounting on the pipe sections to be joined, are provided with hinged arm structures adapted to be drawn into alignment by tension means so that proper positioning of the layout means may be quickly accomplished.

With the above and other objects in View, as may appear hereinafter, reference is directed to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of the layout means shown in position on a pair of pipe sections to be joined;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the pipe sections as they appear when joined;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view through 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan view of one of the layout units with the pipe section shown fragmentarily;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view through 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional View through 66 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 7 is a further enlarged fragmentary sectional view through 7-7 of Fig. 4.

The layout means for welded offsets is intended to 10- cats the points, as well as the angle, at which a pair of xed pipe sections A and B are to be cut in order that they may be joined by a connecting pipe C.

The layout means includes two substantially similar layout units. Each unit includes a saddle member 1 which may comprise an angle member 2 having a pair of feet 3 which are cut V-shaped at their extremities, so as to rest on a cylindrical pipe and dispose the angle memher 2 in longitudinal relation with the axis of the pipe.

The saddle member 1 is held in place by means of a tension strap 4 which surrounds the pipe section and terminates in screw-threaded rods 5 adapted to extend through lugs 5 extending laterally from the angle memher 2. The screw-threaded rods 5 receive nuts 7 and wing nuts 8. A handle 9 may be provided on the saddle member. semicircular adapter spacers 4a may be provided between the strap 4- and the pipe.

Extending "from one end of the angle member 2 so as to overlie and underlie the sides of the pipe is a pair of brackets ltl. Each bracket receives a tubular hinge pin 11. The hinge pins are disposed in axial alignment and define an axis intersecting the longitudinal axis of the pipe section. Difierent adapters, not shown, may be used with the feet 3; for different sizes of pipe so that in each case the common axis of the hinge pins will intersect the longitudinal axis of the pipe.

An arm structure or yoke member 12 is provided with ill Z,83Z,l52 Patented Apr. 29, 1958 at enlarged ends 13 which fit over and journal on the hinge pins 11. Each hinge pin may be provided with a nut 14. The common axis of the hinge pins 11 which intersects the longitudinal axis of the pipe also lies in a plane defined by the arm structure or yoke member 12.

One of the brackets 10 supports a protractor plate 15 having a scale 16 thereon, and the corresponding enlarged end 13 of the yoke member 12 is provided with a pointer 17 for cooperation with the scale 16.

The tubular hinge pins 11 are adapted to receive center punches 18 for the purpose of marking the pipe sections on transverse axes intersecting their respective longitudinal axes.

The cross portion of each yoke member 12 is provided with a pair of longitudinally extending arms 19. The pair of arms associated with one of the yoke members is joined by a crossbar 20. The other set of arms 19 sup ports a protractor 21 disposed in a plane transverse to the yoke members. The central points of the: cross portions of the two yoke members 12 are adapted to be connected by a string or cable 22 which passes through a perforation provided in the center of the cross bar 20. When the string or cable is drawn taut the longitudinal axes of the two yoke members are caused to coincide with the axis of the string or cable. The planes of the two yoke members intersect this axis. Also the protractor 21 is so positioned that the string when taut passes through the center defined by the protractor.

Attached to one end of the crossbar 2d at a distance from the string or cable 22 equal to the radius of the protractor 21 is an angle-determining string or cable 23 which is adapted to be held by hand in contact with the periphery of the protractor 21. By sighting across the two cables 22 and 23, the cable 23 may be brought into parallelism so that its point of contact with the protractor 21 may serve to measure the relative circumferential displacement of the planes defined by the two yoke members 12.

Operation of the layout means for welded olfsets is as follows:

The saddle members 1 are slipped on the respective pipe sections A and B and the tension straps 4 are loosely adjusted so that the saddle members may be moved longitudinally as well as circumferentially on their respective pipe sections.

The string or cable 22 is drawn taut and secured or tied. In doing so the saddle members 1 and yoke members 12 are caused to rotate relative to the axes of their respective pipes until the axis defined by the string or cable 22 coincides with the longitudinal axes of the yoke members and intersects the axes of the pipes. Change in the length of the string or cable changes the longitudinal positions of the saddle members relative to their pipes. Thus for a selected length of string or cable 22, there is a corresponding unique position for each of the saddle members circumferentially as well as axially of its respective pipe.

After the string or cable is drawn taut and secured and the longitudinal axes of the yokes are in coincidence with the axis of the string or cable, the tension straps are tightened to lock the saddle members 1 in position.

The string or cable 23 secured to one end of the cross bar 2!) is then positioned manually in parallelism with the string or cable 22 and against the edge of the protractor 21, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The angular reading of the protractor indicates the relative angular displacement of the planes defined by the two yoke members and also the axes defined by their respective hinge pins 11.

After drawing the cable 22 taut and either before or after measuring the circumferential displacement of the 3 yoke members 12, the angular positions of the yoke members relative to the longitudinal axes of their respective pipe sections may be measured by the protractors 21 and pointers 17. In addition, the axes of the hinge pins 11 are marked on the pipe sections by means of the center punch 18.

It is possible by conventional means to determine the angle at which each pipe section should be out once the angular relation of the corresponding yoke member to the axis of the pipe is known. This angular relation is one-half the angle between the yoke member and its pipe section. This same angular measurement is used to determine the manner in which the ends of the connecting pipe C is cut. By measuring the distance between the punch marks on the two pipe sections, the length of the connecting pipe C may be determined.

While a particular embodiment of this invention has been shown and described, it is not intended to limit the same to the exact details of the construction set forth, and it embraces such changes, modifications, and equivalents of the parts and their formation and arrangement as come Within the purview of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A layout means for welded ofisets, comprising: a pair of members adapted for longitudinal and circumferential adjustment on a pair of pipe sections to be joined; an arm structure pivotally connected to each member and defining planes passing through their pivotal connections with said members; tension means for drawing said arm structures into position wherein said planes of both arm structures pass through a line extending between the axes of said pipe sections; means for measuring the relative circumferential displacement of said planes; and means for measuring the angular relationship of said members and said arm structures.

2. A layout means for welded ofisets, comprising: a pair of members adapted for longitudinal and circumferential adjustment on a pair of pipe sections to be joined; an arm structure for each member; a hinge connecting each member and its arm structure, the axis of each hinge positioned to intersect the axis of the corresponding pipe section; means for marking said pipe section on the axis of said hinge; each arm structure defining a plane passing through the axis of the corresponding hinge; tension means for drawing said arm structures into position wherein said planes of both arm structures pass through a line extending between the axes of said pipe sections; means for measuring the relative circumferential displacement of said planes; and means for measuring the angular relationship of said members and said arm structures.

3. A layout means for welded offsets, comprising: means adapted for mounting on each of a pair of pipe sections to be joined, and defining a hinge axis intersecting the axis of the corresponding pipe section; an arm structure connected to each of said means for movement about said hinge axis, each arm structure defining a plane passing through the corresponding hinge axis; means for securing said arm structures in alignment about a line passing between the intersections of the hinge axes and axes of said pipe sections; means for measuring the relative circumferential displacement of said planes; and means for measuring the angular relation of each arm structure relative to the axes of said pipe sections.

4. A layout means for welded oifsets, comprising; means adapted for mounting on each of a pair of pipe sections to be joined, and defining a hinge axis intersecting the axis of the corresponding pipe section; an arm structure connected to each of said means for movement about said hinge axis, each arm structure defining a plane passing through the corresponding hinge axis; means for securing said arm structures in alignment about a line passing between the intersections of the hinge axes and axes of said pipe sections; means for measuring the relative circumferential displacement of said planes; means for measuring the angular relation of each arm structure relative to the axes of said pipe sections; and means for marking said pipe sections on said hinge axes.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,520,143 Sandell Dec. 23, 1924 1,590,499 Cozad June 29, 1926 FOREIGN PATENTS 868,792 Germany Feb. 26, 1953 

